


The Journey

by cipocereus



Category: Pellinor - Alison Croggon
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-20
Updated: 2017-01-20
Packaged: 2018-09-18 20:07:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,424
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9401033
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cipocereus/pseuds/cipocereus
Summary: Following on from Maerad and Cadvan's stay in Innail at the end of The Singing, detailing another adventure across Edil-Amarandh and the evolution of their relationship





	

**Author's Note:**

> I will frankly say now that I don't know if I will end up completing this work as, although I love the series and the characters, a fic to the scale of what I have planned may be overambitious for someone who has only ever written one short piece before.  
> But you never know, right?  
> Any comments/encouragements are of course welcomed wholeheartedly

In the first three months following the defeat of the Nameless, Maerad and Cadvan remained in Innail to recover and help rebuild the towns in the Fesse. At the end of the first month, a Meet was called to discuss all that had happened since Maerad’s rescue from Gilman’s Cot and to plan the next stages of the Light’s return to Edil-Amarandh. By then end of that week and Maerad’s twentieth recounting of her story, she was itching to be back on the road and away from her celebrity status. 

It was decided that in seven months, at the start of the next year, the First Bards of Annar and the Seven Kingdoms would travel to Norloch where they would renew the Flame and a celebration would be held in honour of the Light’s triumph. Maerad’s party of herself, Cadvan, Hem, Irc, Hekibel and Saliman had been requested to attend but it was agreed amongst them that she and Cadvan would meet the others there. Hem and Saliman had wanted to return to the Suderain as soon as possible to begin work on rebuilding the School of Turbansk and although Maerad was loath to be parted from her brother after their ordeal, she was glad he was able to find a sense of purpose.

After Hem’s departure, Maerad and Cadvan had begun planning their journey – they had agreed upon a circuitous route to Norloch, allowing them to take a four-and-a-half month trip to visit a few stops on the way. The first goal was across the Osidh Elanor, in Zmarkan to retrieve Imi. They would cross the mountain range at Loden Pass in the north-east which would allow them to spend a day at the ruins of Pellinor before moving north after the spring melt. From Murask they would head south and cross at the Gwalhain Pass then travel onward to Cadvan’s School, Lirigon. They would stay at the School for a month and then travel to Norloch, visiting as many Schools as possible along the way, before travelling to Thorold, Il Arunedh, Turbansk, and back to Innail. Maerad had decided that if she did not find any other School which she would want to stay with to continue her education, she would return either to Innail to stay with Sylvia and Malgorn or to Turbansk to stay with Hem and Saliman.

The evening before Maerad and Cadvan were due to leave Innail was the first in weeks in which they had truly had to themselves. They sat in Maerad’s room preparing their packs for when they would leave early the next morning. Malgorn and Sylvia were at a meeting with the rest of Innail’s Circle – they had said their goodbyes earlier in the day – and their apprentices had the day off. Maerad savoured the moment of quiet in the house and the time in which she had Cadvan to themselves. Setting his pack on the floor, Cadvan flopped back onto the bed with a sigh.

“I know I shall regret saying so the first night we spend without an inn to stay at, but I have missed travelling these past weeks” he said.

“I know what you mean,” Maerad agreed, lying down next to him “as much as I love Sylvia and Malgorn and the rest of Innail, I miss it being just you, me, Imi and Darsor.”

“Yes,” he quirked a smile at her, one that warmed her up inside, ”although hopefully the stakes of this adventure are not so high as our last.”

“Ha, I think you’re in luck. No danger we face now will ever compare to Sharma.” Maerad’s thoughts turned back to their impending journey, “are you sure Darsor will be okay carrying us both to Murask? It’s not yet summer so the Loden Pass may still be icy and we’ve both just spent three months eating Sylvia’s cooking…” 

Cadvan barked a laugh at that, “Don’t let him hear you say such things, you might hurt his ego. Besides, he knows his limits and if we take a little longer than expected then we can just make up the time by leaving Murask or Lirigon earlier than planned.” He closed his eyes and smiled, remembering all the places and people in his home School which he would introduce Maerad to. His parents would have loved her, he was sure.

Maerad took a moment to study Cadvan, he had rarely looked so relaxed whilst they had been staying in Innail, it was as if the knowledge that they would be departing soon took a weight off his shoulders. Between the regular meals with Malgorn and Sylvia and the sparing sessions with Indik and his students, Cadvan and Maerad had both lost their gauntness and put muscle back onto their frames and she was glad to see the dark circles under his eyes had also disappeared.

Leaning over him, she brushed a stray strand of hair out of Cadvan’s face, her hand lingering on his cheek. His hand caught hers and held it there before turning his head to the side and pressing a gentle kiss to her palm, making her heart stutter. She removed her hand and replaced it with her lips, sighing contentedly at the feeling of one of his hands combing through her hair and resting at the nape of her neck and the other settling on her waist. His returning kiss was so sweet that it made her toes curl and her eyelids flutter shut. After a minute or two of soft kisses and wandering hands, Maerad pulled back slightly and rest her forehead against his. The warmth that Cadvan’s touch brought still rushed through her veins like laradhel and even with her eyes shut she could sense Cadvan’s pleased smile. 

They had been a couple since Maerad’s conflict with the Nameless four months ago but had not progressed much further physically than the occasional lingering kiss. This was in part due to how little time had with just each other, but mostly because of Maerad’s discomfort with any non-platonic touching caused by her time in Gilman’s cot. A few times now they had been mid-kiss when images would come to her unbidden of the Thane’s men trying to stick their tongues down her throat. She would panic, jerk back and then Cadvan would apologise and she would feel foolish and weak for the rest of the day. Following the second such incident, they had agreed to go slower and let Maerad set the pace.

“Mmm” she hummed, savouring his warmth and clean scent. “As tonight shall be our last in such comfortable beds, would you sleep here with me?” Maerad knew to make the most of the bed whilst she had it and she doubted they’d have an opportunity like this on the road where they would only sleep in shifts.

Cadvan gave an exaggerated gasp. “On pain of death! If Sylvia were to find out, she would skin me alive for ‘taking advantage’ of you.”

She huffed a breath at that and sat up, “Then it is just as well that we will be gone by the time she and Malgorn wake up. Now go, let me get changed in peace. We’ve an early start tomorrow.”

Cadvan stood and leant to plant a kiss on Maerad’s cheek before giving a sly grin “Of course, m’Lady. Whoever would deny the Maid of Innail her beauty sleep?” He left the room backwards, bowing every few steps, followed by the pillow which Maerad threw at him.

Once she retrieved her pillow and closed the door, Maerad quickly stripped off and pulled her cotton night gown over her head before packing the clothes with the others in her bag. Cadvan had left his pack next to hers so she knew to expect his return. With nothing left to do, she settled into her bed and fiddled with the sheets. Sure enough, a few minutes later she heard Cadvan’s knock on the door. After calling to him to enter, she watched him as he packed the last of his clothes and turned off the lamp, plunging the room into darkness. 

Cadvan settled in next to her and rearranged their positions so Maerad was on her side with her head on his chest, an arm across his waist and one of his arms draped across her shoulders. She felt happy and safe in his embrace.

“Is this alright?” he whispered.

“Perfect” she replied, tilting her head up to press a kiss to his jaw and then drifting into a peaceful sleep.


End file.
